Time Signature Praise & Praise...

Genre: progressive metal

I picked this one up at one of the local record store, where they only charged what corresponds to 50p. That was a bargain! I mean the price was almost insultingly low, because this stuff is quality stuff.

Stylistically Vigilante are close to very early Queensrÿche and also seem very in spired by the pre-1995 releases of Fates Warning - and that without being a rip-off at all. "Edge of Time" certainly is a progressive metal album (which also draws on power metal and traditional metal) without ever being too technical or quirky. There are some pretty impressive and complex guitar and bass figures and also a couple of odd time signature parts, and the compositions themselves are complex enough for this not to be a boring listen. There are also several captivating guitar and vocal melodies and harmonies and a lot of power and energy.

Stand-out tracks are the power-metallish "Tease of Influence" and "Blame and Praise" wchich contains some really cool slap bass. The Fates Warning-inspired "Under the Straing", "The Silent Majority", and "The Wondering Traveller" also deserve mentioning.

I think that fans of Fates Warning will enjoy this progressive metal album, because it is similar to FW but it never becomes a rip-off. I also think that fans of progressive metal in general will like it, and some power metal fans might also like it.